Ben Goldacre highlights and opposes the way that science is misrepresent by people and organisations and the role that media and PR companies often play in this. He writes the Bad Science column in The Guardian and blogs and Twitters. His blog could be a source of activists who oppose the misrepresentation of science.

Marcus Williamson has set up a website where he lists the email addresses of CEOs of companies so that people who have had no joy contacting customer services can contact the person at the top. In the case of Barclays it resulted in direct intervention by the chief exec on customers' behalf. He is a Twitter user.

The Glasgow Media Group

http://www.glasgowmediagroup.org/

Professor Greg Philo recently appeared on the BBC (a midweek lunchtime slot) suggesting that the question of taxing the rich rather than cutting public services has been bypassed by politicians and the media. He is both charismatic and assertive:

Ironically, for a media group, hey do not seem to have embraced social media to get their message out. Perhaps they would see getting involved with our project as an opportunity to do this?

I have had some involvement with a group in Manchester called Action for Sustainable Living (AfSL). They would not generally fall under the umbrella of activists as they are a charity that promotes sustainable activity at the local community level. They may however be able to provide links to activists – Guerilla Gardeners for instance, who plant vegetables on otherwise unused public land.

There is an organisation at MMU called People and Planet who I think may be involved in activism. I will investigate this.

I know a large housing estate where all the shops were demolished recently. I believe the plan was that a property development would go up in their place and new shops would be built on a piece of disused land nearby. The shops were empty for a long period before the recent demolition, now nothing seems to be happening. I will investigate whether rumours that things are on hold are true and, if so, whether there is any organised protest.

I will do some further research where needed and get in touch with people/organisations this week to see if they might be interested in being involved with our project.